Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-21
TOO DAMP FOR BISMARCK.
THE DAKOTA CAPITAL RAVAGED BY
A RAGING FLOOD.

Settlers Having Terrible Time and the
Waters Continually Rising Digging
for Dead Men in the Buffalo Hotel
Ruins-Four More Recovered-Fright-
full Death of Four workmen.
BISMARCK, D. T., March 2i.-The scene
here Saturday was as desolate and dreary as
human eyes ever gazed upon. The river was
over six miles in width, the gorge at Sibley
Island holding the water. All of Friday
night a swinging light was seen in the woods,
and several vain attempts were made to
send rescuing party to the spot. The light
was a signal OF distress from ons of the set
tiers who has been on top OF his shack since
the rising Of the waters swinging lantern
in the hope of calling attention to his need of
help His shack was completely surrounded
by water and almost aHoat Two rescuing
parties were sent out Saturday morning, and
found several families on the roofs of tho
houses waiting and praying for help.
Saturday a snow-storm prevailed, and the
scene was one of gloom and desolation. The
current over the new made channel OF the
stream is running over ten miles per hour
and drift ice shoots along at terrific speed
A large bear was seen OF cake OF ice Sat
urday morning endeavoring to get ashore.
Bismarck is the terminus of the Northern
Pacific Fridays passenger train with its
load of people bound for the Pacific coast
and immediate points stands on the side
track here and will not be able to leave for
several days. The gorge consists of six
miles of solid ice wedged into the bottom of
the river, and piled to height of thirty
feet
The stage started for Fort Yate, Satur-
day morning with a load of passengers, and
to show with what rapidity small streams
rise, it may be stated that the stage crossed
the neck of Apple creek. aud after going a
quarter OF q mile the driver discovered that
he could not go farther He then returned,
| and the neck of water which five minutes
| before was about six inches deep bad swollen
| to flowing river, AMI he was compelled to
| drive half mile to get around. Apple creek,
which is usually about fifteen feet wide is
| now over a mile ana n half vile, AMI high
| fences are out Of sight
| The river was still rising Sunday and had
reached the high water mark. Mails are
being returned. All Pacific coast mail will
be sent around on the Union Pacific The
| rescuing parties Sunday night brought back
all people known to have been living on the
bottom south of the city. The Butord rise
reached here at 5 O'Clock p. N. Sunday. The
rise is now coming from the Yellowstone
and the prospect is it will continue to rise
which will make the highest water in the
history of the country
A Mandan, D. T., correspondent tele.
graphs: The report concerning the inunda,
ton of Mandan is utterly false. No water
has entered the streets from the Missouri OF
Heart rivers, but anxiety prevails among the
Mandan inhabitants for fear of the poor peo-
pie living on the low lands near Bismarck.
n. Business is going on usual. The only
damage done has been to the trestle work Of
tie bridge and to the track two miles east Of
Mandan. There is no Geographic communi
cation yet between N indian and the east